28 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



CLIMATE AND CROP BULLETINS 



Summaries of Weekly Bulletins Issued in the Season of 1912. 



Bulletin No. 1. — For the week ending April 14. — The winter was se- 

 verely cold and of long duration, and the amount of snowfall was the 

 greatest on record. The larger part of the state was covered with snow 

 nearly all of the time from December 20th to about March 25th. The 

 snow went off rapidly after March 20th, but as there was but little frost 

 in the ground, the larger part of the water was absorbed by the soil, yet 

 all streams were at a high stage at the close of the month, and much bot- 

 tom ground, especially in the southern counties, was flooded. The heavy 

 mantle of snow afforded a good protection to fall-sown grains and grasses 

 and they are now in good condition, except in the counties along the 

 Mississippi River from Scott county southward, where the snow covering 

 was light during the cold weather in January and most of February. The 

 past week has been favorable for field work, and much seeding, plowing 

 and disking has been done with the soil in excellent tilth. The acreage 

 ,of winter wheat is much greater than it was last year, but the extent of 

 spring seeding depends largely on the conditions during the next few 

 days, as only about one-half to two-thirds of the acreage intended for 

 small grain has yet been seeded. Many potatoes have been planted and 

 gardens made. Fruits have remained nearly dormant as yet, and except 

 peaches and pears, are reported to have been uninjured by the low winter 

 temperatures. Live stock came through the winter in fairly good condi- 

 tion, but in most sections the supply of hay and rough feed has been en- 

 tirely or nearly exhausted. While the season opens a little later than 

 usual, the conditions at present are favorable for a good crop year. 



Bulletin No. 2 — For the week ending April 21. — The third week in 

 April was colder than usual, the average daily deficiency in temperature 

 being about 5 degrees. Freezing temperature was reported from the larger 

 part of the state on several mornings, and one of the heaviest April snow- 

 storms on record in this state occurred over the southern and eastern 

 counties on the seventeenth'. Several stations reported from seven to eight 

 inches of snowfall, but crops and fruit were not far enough advanced to 

 receive damage from the snow or freezing temperature. The heavy show- 

 ers on the afternoon and night of the twentieth gave an excess of precipi- 

 tation for the week. Farming operations were somewhat retarded in the 

 counties where the snowfall was heaviest, but in the larger part of the 

 state fair progress has been made in seeding and plowing, with the soil in 

 tine working condition. Seeding of small grain is nearly finished in north- 

 ern and western counties, but in the eastern and southeastern counties 

 only about 75 to 80 per cent of that work has been done. Late reports 



